Without Reason
by RaiStorm
Summary: The girl took a deep breath and started to change. Yes, change, as in to another being. A few seconds passed and my jaw was on the floor in awe. She was a dragon, the same as the one she just killed. Ruki x Juri Rika x Jeri Shoujo- ai
1. Thunderstorms and Shocking Appearances

Hey readers! This is my second fic. Yes, a Ruki/ Juri. Don't like, don't read.

This story is AU, sorry, no digimon this time.

If it seems like its moving too fast or if its confusing, tell me, kay? Cuz, I'm not sure about this one. The idea popped into my head a few days ago and it won't leave so... here it is!

Also, if you want me to continue Blue Moon, let me know as well. I've kinda lost interest, but I'll suck it up if you like it. Hah!

**Songs used while writing:**

"Without Reason" The Fray

"Gone Forever" Three Days Grace

"Out of Control" Hoobastank

This part is in Juri's POV. Enjoy!

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The storm outside our cabin was raging.

It was about eleven at night and most of the other campers were asleep. My dad dumped me here a few weeks ago, at Camp Loucon, for the summer, so that I could "expand" my circle of friends. Ha! What did he know? I'm perfectly happy with my group: Takato, Kenta, Kazu, and Jen. There was nothing wrong with my circle, no matter how small it may be. Sure they're all boys, but being raised by only a father, I've come to thrive off of male companionship. The weird thing is, I'm not a tomboy at all. I like dresses, and flowers, you know, the "girly things". Maybe I'm just trying to retain some femininity surrounded by boys, but back to the friend thing.

Truth is… I used to have a lot more friends before my mother died. That was a long time ago, but I still miss her. Funny what alcohol can do, huh? Stupid drunk drivers. After she was gone, I sank back into my shell. I used to be an outgoing little girl, but now I just have to protect myself from losing anyone else that I love. So I guess I'm scared of letting people in nowadays.

I've made a few acquaintances here, but I can't seem to connect. I think I forgot how to make a close friend, sad right? Well, I'm not worried. Most of these girls don't even live close to Shinjuku, my hometown, and it's not like I'm lonely or anything. Besides, Jen and Takato are great listeners when I need to talk.

CRASH!

A sudden flash of lightening illuminated the room. A yelp of pain came shortly after. I shot up to a sitting position on my bunk and glanced around. No one was awake! These girls are deep sleepers because that was loud! Opening the blinds, I saw a large snake-like figure writhing and thrashing outside. To the side there was a small human figure getting up from the soggy ground. Curiosity overshadowing fear, I ran to the door.

Another bolt of lightening lit up the sky as I tentatively took a few steps into the downpour, shielding my eyes from the wind. I couldn't see through the wall of water in front of my face, but another snarl and scream pushed me onward.

"Katou- san! Stay back!" I heard an unfamiliar female voice ring through air. Something about that voice made me want to obey, but I ignored that gut feeling. Kazu said that my compassion and general concern for others would be my downfall, that it's my "tragic flaw". I can't say that I disagree. Heh.

I couldn't really tell, but I would say I was about fifty or sixty yards from the battle. Now, I was scared. Shitless. It was a medley of growls, snarls, and screams. It sounded like two emaciated stray dogs in a fight to the death over a scrap of meat! I could feel the hot, rank breath of the giant serpent monster, and the ground- shaking thud of each blow. How could a girl that sounded my own age fight this thing?

The rain was letting up slightly and I could make out the situation a little better. The serpent was black and maybe eight feet tall, had glowing yellow eyes, a grey mane running down the middle of its skinny head to its tail, which had a tuft of grey fur at the end. It was drooling nasty green saliva and was hissing menacingly.

The girl WAS my age, about sixteen. She had striking red hair that was pulled back into a spiky ponytail. On her forehead was a black headband with a gold emblem that I couldn't identify, and she was wielding a small dagger. Wearing a white long- sleeve shirt with black sleeves and the same gold symbol on the front, the girl nimbly dodged each of the dragon's slashes.

Suddenly her eyes connected with mine.

There was fear, anger, shock, and some other emotion I couldn't identify on her face. I probably couldn't BECAUSE of her eyes! They were amazingly light blue, almost white, the color of ice. It was not a natural eye color for a human! The second thing I noticed were the two white fangs that protruded from her lips.

"Katou-san!" she yelled, causing me to jump. This interaction brought me to the attention of the dragon creature, and it screeched in my direction, as if it's found something it's been looking for. It charged straight towards me, but I was frozen to the soil my feet were so humbly planted. I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the blow. A couple of long, agonizing seconds passed and nothing hit me.

I slowly opened them. To my utter shock, the serpent was writhing in agony not ten feet before me. The red- headed girl was standing above it, dagger poised, breathing heavily. I saw a pool of dark crimson liquid ooze into the mud, thickening it. How did she-!?

"You must come with me, you aren't safe anymore," she said. Anymore? And I was safe thirty seconds ago, when a monster almost tore me to pieces?

"Who are you, and what was that? What the hell just happened!?" I yelped in a high- pitched voice. How could the stranger want me to come with her to who knows were? Seeing what she did to an eight- foot beast, I knew she could easily kill me.

"There are more of those things coming. Come willingly and I will explain everything," she was losing patience, so what choice did I have. I nodded, still shaking from the ordeal.

"Good. Don't be afraid," she said in a firm voice that wasn't very comforting. Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

The girl took a deep breath and started to change. Yes, change, as in to another being. A few seconds passed and my jaw was on the floor in awe. She was a serpent, the same as the one she just killed. No, she was white, with a fiery orange mane. There were two long whiskers that protruded from her long snout. The headband was still intact, and her four legs were long and muscular.

"I'm not here to hurt you," she said simply as the dragon made her way to me. I stepped back in fear regardless. She stopped and stooped her head down.

"Climb on," What!? No way, no freaking way. I've changed my mind. She must have seen the negative answer on my face because she said, "Come willingly or I will just take you myself."

I stayed put out of defiance…or was it cowardice? Anyway, and the next thing I knew I was in the sky on the back of a dragon- human…thing.

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What do you think? Reviews are nice. :)


	2. More Than a Bird, More Than a Plane

Chapter 2!

Songs:

"Til I Hear it From You" Gin Blossoms

"Superman" Five for Fighting

"Battle" Colbie Caillat

Enjoy!

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"Ahhh!" I shot up from my bed in a panic. My heart was racing and a bead of sweat ran down my face as I recovered from that terrible nightmare. I clutched my chest, willing my lungs to slow down. It was very strange. I remembered snarling, slashing, blood, and suddenly, nothingness. Thank god none of that happened. I could feel my breath catching up to me slowly as I let my shoulders relax.

Wait, since when did I sleep on leaves? I felt around as my eyes adjusted to the dawn light. Yup, definitely leaves… and dirt. Oh man.

"Sorry, it wasn't a dream, Katou- san," I jumped as a hoarse voice awoke me from my post- sleep daze. Oh, shit. No, no. Just, no.

I almost didn't want to turn and look at her. That would make this nightmare officially a reality. I just wanted to lie back down and wake up at camp again.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do that, I had to grow up and face my fears like I was raised to do. She was on her side a few yards away. Sighing, I pushed my self up deliberately and made my way over. The closer I got the more I could see she wasn't ok. Breathing heavy, cuts and gashes all over her body, and she seemed unnaturally frozen. Blood was leaking slightly from her fanged lips, landing in drops on the damp earth.

"You're hurt!" I gasped stupidly, "How long have you been lying here? You could've woken me up!" The mother in me was coming out already, and I didn't even know this girl's name. She simply chuckled.

"I've tried. Besides, do you know how pretty you look when you're asleep? I just couldn't bring myself to wake you," Wait, what? I'm not really sure how I should answer that…

"Er, thanks…?" I replied. She smirked.

"Well, I'm paralyzed from the neck down at the moment, so if you don't mind, there's a bottle of special pills in my pack. It landed a little ways to my left. "

"How do I know you won't kill me after I un- freeze you? I saw what you did to that dragon." I asked, slightly unnerved as the memories from last night flooded my mind. Her fangs gleamed as she smiled that crooked smile again.

"You know I won't. Why else would you have been so worried about my well- being a few moments ago if you thought I was going to kill you?" her throat was raspy and dry. Damn. How do I know? Maybe it's because her voice is so sure and…I don't know. Something makes her words trustworthy. I'm no fool, though. I stay put.

"Who are you?"

"Makino Ruki,"

"What are you?"

She sighed and lowered her white- blue eyes. "I'll explain everything if you would just get the pills," I was still unsure.

"Your fear is understandable, but I can't protect you of I can't move." She said sternly. I thought it over. She reminded me of a fox. Yeah that's it! A fox. She seemed clever, and a smooth talker, very persuasive and charming. Which was potentially a very dangerous combination of traits. However, I was in the middle of nowhere, and I would just get lost if I tried to flee. I might as well take my chances.

Spotting the small black backpack on a tree root I found the bottle she mentioned. The capsules were rather miniscule, and were half blue and half white. The bottle was labeled "Anti- Venom". I ran back over to the fallen fighter, with the pack on my shoulder, and popped one into her mouth, carefully avoiding the sharp fangs. A few moments passed as her muscles visibly started to relax.

After she recovered, I pulled out some bandages that I found in the front pocket and wordlessly tended to her wounds. Her muscles tensed at my touched and her expression turned to shock and awe. I'm not sure why I was helping a complete stranger, especially a super strong, extremely scary, flying dragon girl. There were mostly cuts and bruises. I focused one the more serious ones.

"You don't have t--," I shushed her and continued, appalled at my own courage. The worst gash was on her left arm. It was about seven inches long, quite deep and ran along the inside of her forearm. She winced as I brushed the dirt off gently. Now it was my turn to laugh.

"Not so tough now, huh?" She scowled and averted my playful gaze, wiping the blood from her mouth with the back of her free hand. All of a sudden, I wasn't afraid anymore. The completely human reaction I elicited from her lightened the tension in the air.

Tenderly, I wrapped the wound in the white cloth, glancing at her face every so often. She showed no emotion. My boys back home had always praised me for my skill in medical care. Boys being boys, they would always scrape a knee or twist an ankle, so, I had plenty of experience. After I finished, she traced the bandage with her fingers and stared at it, as if she'd never been cared for like that before. I bit my lip. Oh…

"So, erm, you wanted answers…" Ruki started, clearing her throat. I nodded. This was going to be a long day.

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Reviews are nice!


	3. Guardian Angel

Songs Used:

"Looking for Angels" Skillet

"Halo" Beyonce

Enjoy!

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The sun's rays were leaking through the wide tree trucks of the forest, drowning everything in morning light. The birds were just rising and you could hear them singing to each other. The rain was gone, but everything was covered in a light coating of wetness. It seemed to clean the earth. It was refreshing, but slightly ironic considering the events of the past few hours.

"So, erm, you wanted answers?" Ruki mumbled. I nodded, strangely calm considering the situation I found myself in. Dragons weren't supposed to exist. They were a fantasy thing, and nothing more. I found myself very curious, but also very aware of her presence.

"Um, I think you should maybe start at the beginning…" I was becoming a little insecure again. Well, heck, she was intimidating. The way her icy eyes seemed to pierce my skin, and you could see her lean muscles ripple at the slightest movement. Her fire-like hair contrasted her ice eyes and her stark white fangs glistened from the sunrise light. She was taller than me, but not by much; and she had somewhat of a tomboyish demeanor about her. However, she was also strikingly beautiful.

"Alright. Well, when I was very young, about five or six, I was taken from my parents by special government troops to be placed in an experiment. An experiment to create the "Perfect Soldier," she paused, ignoring my shocked expression, "My parents were killed and all records of our family was erased." I gasped. Killed her parents? I wanted to reach out and comfort her, but she didn't seem upset, which appalled me.

"'Perfect Soldier'? But you were so young? How could-?" I trailed off. Concern and pity replaced shock.

"Special DNA."

'What?"

"There are many of us. We have something in our DNA that makes us able to withstand the transformation without dying. What it is, I'm not sure."

"Transformation? I'm a little confused." Ruki sighed and rubbed that back of her neck.

"Sorry, you're the first person I've ever had to explain this to. Bear with me." She continued. "I don't remember how I was transformed, I only remember pain, lot's of it. And after it was all over, I had superhuman powers. Much like the ones you've seen already."

I nodded slowly, trying to absorb this information. So, she wasn't born this way, she was made this way. That I get. Well, sort of. I really felt for this girl. She had no family and was pretty much isolated from society. That's fucked up.

"So, why are you here? What does all of this have to do with me? You knew my name, so you came here for me, right?" I asked, fear running through my veins like ice. "You're not going to kill my dad, are you?" I stood up and tensed my muscles, ready to run. She stood up also, taking a step back to show submission.

"No, no, no. You've got it all wrong, Katou-san. I was sent to protect you. See, I was assigned to watch you a few years after my transformation. I am no longer a part of the government's corrupt program," she said the last part with disgust and malice. I was still tense, refusing to let my guard down. "Let me continue, please." She pleaded, and I nodded tersely.

"I grew angry. I was angry at the men who killed my parents, angry at the cruelty and superiority in how they treated the others and I. (There were two others just like me, whose families were also destroyed). One day, we were fed up. So, we escaped."

"We had heard rumors of a society where our kind could live in freedom. After months of hiding and searching, we found a member of that society, and he allowed us to join. He told us that we were finally safe, and free." Ruki didn't physically smile, but her eyes did.

"Our group is called The Hands of Fire, and we are a rebellion force against the Capitol. Our goal is to destroy the Capitol's efforts to make the 'Perfect Soldier'."

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked again.

"You have the special DNA. You are one of us, Katou-san." She lowered her head, as if to apologize. I could feel my eyes widen in shock. Me? The girl who is always last picked for dodge ball in P.E.? The coward who runs from her problems? There must be a mistake.

"Each of us is assigned a human who has the special DNA. We are sent to protect them and prevent the Capitol from transforming them. You were assigned to me, and I've been your guardian for a little over six years," she scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, you're not supposed to know I exist. This wasn't supposed to happen. But now that it has, I must take you to our hideout. You are no longer safe. They haven't gotten this close to you before, and I fear I'm not strong enough." She closed her eyes in shame.

I was feeling so many mixed emotions; I wasn't sure what to feel first. Fear? Anger? Shock? Concern? I needed to sit down. Ruki must have noticed the color leaving my face and grabbed my arm to support me.

"I promise, I won't let anything hurt you," she tried to reassure me, showing some emotion in her face, which I've noticed is a rarity. Leading me to sit against a tree she said, "I just need you to trust me, ok?" I chuckled darkly. She knelt in front of me as I recovered, staring at me with those piercing eyes. It may have been her position on the ground, or a trick of the light bouncing of the trees, but the rays of the sun seemed to form a halo just about her head as she flashed a small, almost unnoticeable smile. This is crazy, but what choice did I have? My life was placed in the hands of a stranger, but for some reason, I was ok with that.

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	4. Ice Cream and Scary Movies

Ok, why no one will review, I don't get.... but here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

**Songs:**

"Wonderwall" Oasis (My favorite song of all time!)

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I sighed softly. Only a few moments have passed but it felt like an eternity.

Ruki was sitting next to me as we leaned against a large tree. The bark was rough and a tiny bit damp. So, supposedly, I'm half-dragon. I can't wait to mention that one to my dad when he asks what I learned at camp. Ha. Part of me wanted to wake up from this nightmare, but for some reason, something urged me onward. Maybe a life threatening adventure will change me for the better.

I listened to the sounds of the forest to try and rest my mind. The birds were still chirping, frogs were croaking, and the wind gently rocked the trees, causing the woods to moan. I also listened to the sound of Ruki's steady breathing. She wasn't sleeping, but her presence seemed to do wonders for me. She told me she had been following me for six years, which was surprising, if not a little creepy. Maybe subconsciously, I always knew someone was there. I think being around her for so long without knowing has become a part of me, and somehow her presence is my invisible support beam. This notion provided some comfort.

I was plucked from my thoughts when Ruki stood up and stretched. How long have I been in la-la land? She yawned and I could see her sharp cat-like fangs gleam fiercely. She was like a piece of art. Wait…what am I thinking?

She turned her blueish-silver eyes onto my brown ones.

"How are you feeling?"

I pushed myself from the cold earth, wobbling slightly. I guess I was more shaken than I thought. The redhead moved to help, outstretching out her hand to mine. I stared at it for a second, but I wasn't thinking about anything. It felt like I was dreaming. I took her hand and she pulled my arm over her shoulder. She had to bend her knees slightly to accommodate the height difference. I realized I never answered her, but if I said something know it would be weird. So I let her words fade into silence.

She led me through the trees, and I didn't ask where we were going. After about three or four minutes I heard the trickle of running water. As we came upon the small stream, I could feel my mind waking up. She brought me to the bank and knelt down slowly. I put my hands in the water and let it cool me down. She put her hands in the water, also, but she was washing the dirt from hers.

"Should we tell your friends at camp that you're leaving? Your father should be informed also. I'm sorry, but you won't get to go home for a while. That's where they're going to look first." I looked at her.

"T-they won't miss me at camp. I don't really know any of the campers and the counselors don't know my name. I'm pretty sure they won't know I'm gone. Plus, my dad would never believe that I'm half-dragon, much less let me be taken to a secret society by one."

Ruki nodded.

"If you're sure," she turned her head to look out at the sparkling water. After a few long moments, I looked over.

"How long will I be gone, Ruki-san?" she suddenly found a blade of grass very interesting and proceeded to twist it in her fingers.

"That depends. I really don't know. Weeks, months…I can't say. It's up to Yamaki when we get to the hideout. He's the leader of the Hands of Fire, and the guy who took me and my friends in," she pulled at the grass, ripping it from the roots.

I sighed. Feeling numb. What if I never see my dad again?

"Are you feeling ok, Katou-san? You were quiet for a long time a while ago."

"No…I just found out that I'm going on a dangerous adventure with a person I just met, and I have dragon DNA. I don't know how to handle that I guess. It's a shock, to say the least. But I'm glad I got stuck with you." I tried to smile, but it turned out to be a shaky twitch of the lips.

"Oh, and feel free to just call me Juri, ok? I'm kind of trusting you with my life here, especially if more of those huge black snakes show up, so I don't think you have to be so formal," I chuckled and grinned at her. She blushed slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"Alright Kato-..er…Juri," she replied, slightly baffled and embarrassed, trying to not meet my gaze. I laughed again. Sometimes she was kind of cute, yet so scary at the same time. It intrigued me to no end.

"And just call me Ruki. I've known you for years," she said with a smirk, her confidence regained. Oh yeah, she probably knows a lot about me.

The sun reflected off of the dew-coated foliage and made the little clearing sparkle. I leaned against a tree and fell back into my thoughts, focusing on Ruki's soft breathing again.

"This may seem like a strange question, Ruki, but how much do you know about me?"

She looked thoughtful for a second.

"I don't know," she mumbled, and I gave her a skeptical look.

"Oh, please, you gotta know something about me." I leaned in and smirked, not quite knowing what I was getting myself into. The silence was growing longer and slowly swallowing my words. After I was about to give up my stare down she took a deep breath.

"…Y-you miss your mom…" she spoke softly, "a lot."

My blood ran cold for a split second. I racked my brain for how she could possibly know that. I just wanted to see if she knew little trivial things about me, like how my favorite food is ice cream, or that I hate scary movies! My attempt to lighten the situation actually darkened it. I don't like to be reminded of my mother, to be reminded of how I used to be happy. I looked at her incredulously.

"I, er, sort of hear you cry at night sometimes. You know that tree right outside your window?" she turned a deep shade of scarlet, but held my gaze. My eyes only widened more at this.

"So, what, do you watch me change, too!? Peek in when I get out of the shower!? That's private!" I yelled, angered at her revelation.

"What!? No way, I don't do that," Ruki crossed her arms and stared at me defiantly. Her was blush gone and her icy eyes were blazing, causing me to drop the angry expression and replace it with a fearful one. After a few long seconds, she realized what she did and lowered her eyes apologetically, but her arms were still crossed. "I never did, I promise," she said. I let my muscles un-tense and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"S-sorry, I kinda got out of line there. I asked you to tell me what you know, and you told me. I shouldn't have gotten upset…" I mumbled, now it was my turn to blush. Ruki shook her head.

"No, I could've said something else, like how ice cream is your favorite food, or that you despise horror films," she shrugged, as I took an imaginary spit take.

"Whoa," I coughed, that was weird. I chuckled despite myself and Ruki just looked at me like I grew an extra head. Yet, her expression only increased the hilarity of the situation and my giggle turned into full-blown laughter. It was funny because I could potentially die in the near future! Ruki was still staring at me as I clutched my stomach roared in laughter, probably thinking I was completely insane. But, her face softened and she chuckled despite the fact that she had no idea what was so funny. Laughter is contagious I guess, even if nothing is all that funny.

I tried to catch my breath as I wiped the tears from my eyes. Ruki was grinning at me when I looked up, fangs gleaming in all their glory.

"Either you're feeling a little better or you've totally lost it, but I'm gonna step out on a limb and go with the former," she said, standing up and stretching her back. I scoffed and stood also, but chose to keep my mouth shut. I am feeling quite better thank you very much.

"Well, I think we should start moving, Juri. I would like to get you there a soon as possible. Hopefully they won't be too hard on me for letting this happen," she looked slightly nervous as she said that last part, but quickly shook it off and put a determined expression on. I gulped. So it begins! Ruki glanced around for the backpack and snatched it up. Then she turned to me and held it out.

"Here," I gave her a skeptical look. I don't have the stamina to walk to wherever the heck we were going and lug that thing around too. I couldn't get a word out before she sighed and pushed it into my arms. I was about to object when the blue-eyed guardian quickly morphed into her dragon form. Shit! I completely forgot she could do that! I took a step back and tripped over a rock, landing oh so gracefully on my backside.

"Ugh," I groaned in pain, "I wish you would give a warning next time to go all 'Animorphs' on me." She lowered her head in apology and her lithe body followed suit.

"Sorry about that. Hop on," My jaw dropped. No way!

"Uh, Ruki, I h-have a thing with heights…" I started to panic. The blood rushed through my veins, and my breath quickened. The white dragon stood up and padded over to me.

"I thought you said you trusted me," her eyes were full of reassurance, and she touched my cheek with one of her long furry whiskers. "I won't let you fall."

With that, I found the ground beneath my feat disappearing at a heart stopping pace as we flew high above the safety of the trees. I clutched onto Ruki's neck hard and shut my eyes as tight as I could. Stop doing that you evil, evil girl! After what seemed like an eternity, the air around us calmed, and I gained the courage to open my eyes, but quickly closed them again when I saw how high we were. My stomach did a flip-flop.

"How are ya holding up back there," I heard Ruki's playful, yet soothing voice.

"Oh, absolutely fantastic!" I clenched my jaw and whimpered into her fur, fighting tears. I was scared out of my mind. I clutched her fur harder.

The dragon winced at both the harshness of my words and that I was practically ripping her fur out.

"Ow, Juri. I know you're scared but I need you to try and relax. Please, I swear that you're not going to fall," the blue-eyed beast soothed. I took a deep breath, shakily released the poor dragon's fur and opened my eyes. The sight was breathtaking! Fucking scary, but beautiful! Trees were little dots and there were huge purple mountains in the distance. I could literally touch a cloud! I glanced back and saw the brown cabins of Camp Loucon shrinking rapidly.

For a moment, I was free.

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Love it? Hate it? Don't care? Tell me. ;)


	5. Ice Box Where My Heart Used to Be

Enjoy!

* * *

I saw fuzzy images as I woke up from a deep sleep, the starry night sky, the moonlight reflecting off of the leaves of the tall black trees, and the orange glow of a campfire. It took me a few moments to remember where I was.

I was with Ruki… We'd been traveling for a couple of days and I'd gotten a little better about the whole flying thing. I spotted her sleeping form on the other side of the fire. She was lying on her side facing away from me. Memories of the past couple of days came rushing back all of a sudden, along with the information she gave me about the dragon DNA, how she was changed, and how I might be changed…She'd been trailing me for years, making sure I was safe from Capitol threats. However, thanks to a Capitol dragon-soldier and my curiosity, the corrupt government is more determined to get me, according to Ruki. Why? I don't know. I couldn't think of a reason why they would put so much effort into capturing one potential soldier. I was one of thousands, millions maybe! Now, I've been taken against my will to the headquarters of a secret rebellion force called the Hands of Fire, where countless other dragon people reside.

However, one good thing has come from this. I really like Ruki, and how I feel safe when I'm around her. The guardian knew some very personal things about me, which seemed stalkerish, but being my stalker IS her job. I can't complain I guess. I could have been dead by now, or worse, turned into a "Perfect Soldier" if it weren't for the redhead. She was scary at first, of course, but now I can see right through that wall of intimidation she fronts. The dragon has been trying to not get to close to me emotionally. I don't understand why, though. I mean we are kind of stuck with each other for potentially a long time, so why wouldn't she want to try and form any kind of bond? It seemed ok a few days ago, when she was telling me about her past and what she knew about me. Yet, she hasn't said much since then, not since the first flight.

Ever since I stopped showing fear, she has distanced herself.

The fire crackled and groaned a few feet away, and warmth radiated from the snapping logs. I drew in a deep breath and emptied my head for a few fleeting seconds, a few very fleeting seconds.

I felt apprehension grow in my belly as I thought about my dad and my friends back at home. Would the Capitol do anything to hurt them now that we're on the move?

I wanted to wake Ruki and find the reassurance that her voice brings, but I let her sleep. She never really fully recovered form the first attack. Even though she refused to admit it, her movements were still kind of sluggish and she was very feverish. She allows me to change her bandages daily, but other than that, I can't really get near her. Plus, the warrior refuses to rest, so we are always on the move. At one point she was too tired to maintain her dragon form and we had to walk. She said it was because she sensed Capitol soldiers…but I'm pretty sure it was a lie.

A strange thing happened next, I suddenly felt a strong urge to cry. It came like a wave and I didn't attempt to stop it. Was I upset that Ruki had become cold? Or has she always been that way and I'm only seeing it now? I missed her constant reassurance, and I feel vulnerable without it. My eyes welled with tears and burned as they overflowed. I quickly muffled my sniffles and tried to not wake Ruki. Covering my face with my hands I rolled over to my side to hide my weakness from the sleeping girl and prayed that she wouldn't hear me. Soon my whole body was shaking and I was utterly helpless to my emotions now. I let the sobs rack my system. I wasn't sure how long I was lying like that, but it felt like forever.

Suddenly, a warm hand found its way to my shoulder and I jumped.

"Shhhh…." Ice blue eyes found their way to my tear-filled ones. I think my heart skipped a beat. "Juri…"

Damn, caught me. I wasn't sure how she would react to my crying. I choked slightly.

"S-sorry Ruki," I stuttered, "I d-didn't want to wake you."

"Damn it!" she whispered harshly. Was she angry that I was upset? The thought only made my sniffles louder. I cringed and demanded my body to stop this nonsense. I felt her muscles tense next to me and it made me apprehensive, I looked back up at her warily. Her face was extremely pale and her eyes were clouded over in pain. Suddenly, she doubled over with a yelp, and clutched her stomach, gritting her teeth. My mind automatically switched to danger mode and I was up and at her side in a flash.

"Ruki!" I gasped, "W-what? Tell me what's wrong!"

An agonized groan was the only reply. Shit…I glanced around the campsite for her backpack and found it over where she was previously sleeping. I dashed to get it and returned to the fallen dragon. I pushed her down on the cool earth and I could see her chest rise and fall rapidly in sharp breaths. I cursed when blood started to leak from her be-fanged mouth. Is there still venom in her system? I fumbled through the pack for medications. There was the anti-venom from before, some bandages, a few maps, a compass, what looked like a GPS/cell phone, a water bottle, and other survival tools. I decided to try more anti-venom, so I quickly popped the cap and…empty!?

You have got to be kidding.

Now, I switched to panic mode as I did everything I could to make her comfortable. Shivers shook her body and sweat beaded on her forehead, which was burning with fever. I poured water on a piece of bandage and tried to cool her face. My heart was racing and I felt totally helpless.

"J-Juri…" she mumbled through heavy breathing as she grabbed my hand, which was currently wiping her face. "T-this venom is having…s-strange effects…never…seen this…before…urgh!" She squeezed my hand. Hard. I had to stifle a yelp.

"I, um…well…" I didn't know what to say. "W-what should I do!? We're out of anti-venom!"

"Just…. stay…"

I was shocked at her whispered plea. Oh God, she's going to die isn't she!? I felt a jolt of pain go through my heart at the thought. No way, I'm not going let that happen! I switched to hero mode.

I took another look in the pack. The cell phone! Grabbing the large-screened device, I looked for anything that would help me. The only two options on the screen were 'Contacts' and 'Emergency' and I pressed the latter. An antenna came out of the top and flashed red. I wasn't sure what was supposed to happen, but that was all I could do.

"R-Ruki, I think help is coming…you're gonna be ok…got it?" I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else.

"Juri…" she managed through a clenched jaw, as I wiped the blood from her lips.

Half an hour has passed and no one's come to help. Ruki's body stopped jerking, but she was still shivering. I stoked the fire several times, and wrapped her in the thin blankets we were sleeping on. She couldn't sleep even though she was exhausted. All I could do was sit beside her and offer soothing words, sometimes mopping her forehead with the makeshift cloth.

"And that's how I earned the nickname Puppet Master," I finished up a childhood story to keep the redhead's mind off of the pain. She tried to laugh, but all the came was a cross between a groan and a growl. I sighed.

"Over here! This way!" I heard shouts from the woods behind us. Ruki's eyes widened and she made an attempt to get up, growling menacingly. I shushed her a pushed her back down again. There's no way she could fight, and no way we could run, so what was the point.

A dark blonde haired boy with a red bandana around his neck appeared from behind a bush and spotted us. With a gasp he rushed over. A light blonde haired girl in a black turtleneck rushed behind him. As they got closer, I could see that the pair had gleaming white fangs just like Ruki.

"What the hell happened!" the boy cried as he moved me aside to assess the girl's condition. The blonde girl calmly kneeled next to him. I blinked, should I do something? This must be the help I sent for.

The boy glared at me.

"C'mon spit it out! What happened?" he demanded, and I regained my composure.

"I..erm…she was attacked by one of those serpents from the Capitol a few days ago and the anti-venom didn't work,"

"Alice, did you bring it?" he looked at the girl, who nodded and rustled through her backpack. A few seconds later, a bottle appeared in her hands.

"Some of their more recent soldiers have a strange type of poison and Ruki's supply of anti-venom is out-dated. I told her to get the new stuff…but does she listen? Of course not!" he rambled as Alice opened the new anti-venom and fed a pill to Ruki, who had a relieved/amused expression on her face at the girl's care and the boy's fussing. "No, it's always 'I have to watch Katou-san', 'after I check on Katou-san', 'Katou-san" this, 'Katou-san' that! Ugh!" he glanced at me and did a double take.

"Katou-san!?" he yelped, jerking his head back and forth between Ruki and me, quite confused. Ruki, who was recovering quickly, sighed and raised her hands in defeat.

"Ryo, I can explain. Well…kind of," she rasped, still exhausted. Alice was still silent, but I think she knew who I was too. "C'mon, let's all sit by the fire and relax for a second, ok?"

We all rose and moved the said campfire and sat cross-legged.

"Juri, these are my comrades, Alice McCoy, and the King of Stupid himself: Akiyama Ryo." Ruki introduced the pair, ignoring the offended scoff of Ryo. "These are the ones I told you about. The ones who ran off with me after we escaped from the Capitol." I 'ahhed' in recognition.

"Guys, you know Juri…" she gave them a warning glare.

"Of course, she's all you talk about, Ruki-chan," Alice finally spoke with an innocent smile. Ruki slapped herself in the forehead, turning slightly pink and refusing to look at me.

"Don't call me that!" she snapped. Ryo chuckled.

"Well, I think a certain someone should tell us how Katou-san managed to get caught up in all this chaos. Right…Ruki-chan?" the boy smirked, earning him a hard smack in the back of the head from the redhead. Ruki mumbled under her breath, and I had to cover my mouth to hide my chuckle. They were ganging up on the poor girl.

"Well, long story short, I was attacked by a Capitol soldier outside of Juri's cabin. This was the same one that poisoned me. Apparently she heard the noise over the storm and rushed outside. I couldn't leave her there. The Capitol has spies everywhere, so they probably know that she saw us," she explained. The newcomers nodded.

"Yeah, they're gonna be trying harder to catch her now. It was a smart decision to bring her, it will throw them off," Ryo said thoughtfully.

"We'll back you up at HQ," Alice cut in, patting Ruki on the shoulder, receiving a sigh of relief. I raised my hand up.

"Um, will Ruki be punished because of me? Because it wasn't her fault…" I said, feeling guilty. I received unsure looks from the three dragons. Alice spoke up.

"We don't know. Hopefully not, because it was an accident. I don't think this could have been tactfully prevented, taking into account that no one could have stopped you from going outside, and that nothing could have made the battle quieter…except maybe if Ruki-"

"-Ahem, ok, I don't think we need to be saying what could've been done to prevent this. The point is, it happened, and we need to find a way to move forward from here," Ruki interrupted, crossing her arms over her chest. She glanced at me.

"By the way, aren't you guys supposed to be watching your human partners as well? We wouldn't want a repeat of this…" Ruki smirked at her companions, who stiffened in response and stood up quickly.

"Oh shit, you're right! Be careful, and we'll catch up to you tomorrow!" Ryo promised, and the two dragons disappeared into the forest. After they were gone, all that could be heard was the snap and hiss of the fire.

"I'm a burden, aren't I?"

Ruki looked at me incredulously.

"No. You're not."

"But-"

"Stop. I would have died just a while ago if you weren't here."

"Ru-"

"NO! I refuse to listen to you call yourself a burden!" Ruki raised her voice.

"You've changed, Ruki…" I whispered, earning a confused expression from the girl. "Why are you being so cold all of a sudden? I don't understand. You were all caring and sweet a few days ago, but now…I don't know."

Ruki found the dead leaves on the ground very interesting at this point. After a few moments she shook her head as if shaking a bad thought and turned away. The crickets seemed to be getting louder.

"Please, don't get close to me. I can't handle that kind of thing anymore. I'm sorry," she professed.

"What are you talking about? Let me in, I can help." I pleaded.

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Juri," With that, she was on the other side of the fire, sleeping like a rock.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Next chapter soon.


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